The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)

Amazon.com

Make no mistake. The Bad Beginning begins badly for the three Baudelaire children, and then gets worse. Their misfortunes begin one gray day on Briny Beach when Mr. Poe tells them that their parents perished in a fire that destroyed their whole house. "It is useless for me to describe to you how terrible Violet, Klaus, and even Sunny felt in the time that followed," laments the personable (occasionally pedantic) narrator, who tells the story as if his readers are gathered around an armchair on pillows. But of course what follows is dreadful. The children thought it was bad when the well-meaning Poes bought them grotesque-colored clothing that itched. But when they are ushered to the dilapidated doorstep of the miserable, thin, unshaven, shiny-eyed, money-grubbing Count Olaf, they know that they--and their family fortune--are in real trouble. Still, they could never have anticipated how much trouble. While it's true that the events that unfold in Lemony Snicket's novels are bleak, and things never turn out as you'd hope, these delightful, funny, linguistically playful books are reminiscent of Roald Dahl (remember James and the Giant Peach and his horrid spinster aunts), Charles Dickens (the orphaned Pip in Great Expectations without the mysterious benefactor), and Edward Gorey (The Gashlycrumb Tinies). There is no question that young readers will want to read the continuing unlucky adventures of the Baudelaire children in The Reptile Room and The Wide Window. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky.

In the first two books alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, a lumpy bed, a deadly serpent, a large brass reading lamp, a long knife, and a terrible odour.

In the tradition of great storytellers, from Dickens to Dahl, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Never before has a tale of three likeable and unfortunate children been quite so enchanting, or quite so uproariously unhappy.

Ages 10+

Customer Reviews:

Sick & twisted. No youth (or adult should read).......2007-09-28

Things like a guardian trying to force a 14 year old girl to marry and tying up an infant and hanging her in a cage 30 feet in the air are REVOLTING. Why would anyone think this is appropriate reading material for teens or children?

Lays the blueprint plot for the series.......2007-08-21

Here we have the beginning and every book more, or less follows this book in terms of plot. It's one unfortunate event after the other and while the orphans have to use the hopefullness sparingly, it's interesting to see how they make it out in the end. So, here's a threadbare description of this plot and of the plots in the future.

This one: Three children of wealthy intelligencia find out their parents were killed in a fire while at the beach nearby. They are adopted by their closest relative geographically (Count Olaf) who makes no mistake that he wants to steal their fortune. They are transported to him by the banker who handles the estate (he's clueless). The children expose the plan and save the fortune.

This series: In each episode the orphans are taken to a new location/guardian, they get used to their odd surroundings and find that Count Olaf and his minions are around. Each time they must find a way to stop the villain, but are also forced to move to a separate place for the next volume.

What makes this series work for both kids and adults is the use of vocabulary which is explained in the book so that kids can understand large, or uncommonly used words. Each situation has oddness that would be interesting to children in a very visual way and contains a morbid humor that may be lost on children, but parents will pick up. What's also great about it is that to look at this series as unfortunate is only one was to look at it really since the children learn much from their turmoil, and they grow accustomed to it as if it were simply their role in life. The characters they meet along the way are certainly interesting and thought-provoking as portrayed. Simple truths about people that are never spoken are revealed through the stories and in this kids learn a lot about fictional and real life character.

All in all, an essential part of the puzzle.

A book-and series-worth even a villain's time........2007-08-19

You wouldn't buy this book if you know what's good for you. It's the beginning of an obsession that I still cannot come to terms with. Only if you are brave and noble, should you dare to lay your hands on The Bad Beginning. Because Lemony is not joking. It does things to you. Not just this book, but the whole series. They've changed my life to the point I lay awake at night-tossing and turning trying to solve every mystery by researching ever secret I can get my hands on. But it's all for the better. Please read this series. We need every Volunteer we can get to be able to make the world quiet again.

I read it.......2007-08-05

I can't say that this is a horrible book, but I can say that I was disappointed and mildly shocked that this is a book intended for children. When Mr. Poe tells the Baudelaire children that their parents have died in a fire and that they, as orphans must go to live with a distant relative, Count Olaf, it goes from bad to worse. While I will agree that this book is expertly written with a unique voice and style, I think the content is far too mature and dismal to be offering it to children of the younger persuasion.

With drunken relatives and their equally gruesome cohorts, child abuse, neglect, and relatives trying to marry children to gain their fortune, I have to ask if this really qualifies for good entertainment? Brad Helquist has incredible talent as an artist, and the prose is catchy, but...

Would I recommend this for a child? Absolutely not! An adult? Maybe, but I think for now, I will simply say I read it, and leave it at that.

Don't run away from The Bad Beginning!.......2007-07-12

I haven't read a series in a long time. Well since Middle School really, but the talk I've heard about this series peeked my interest and I'm so glad I read this book. It is in my humble opinion one of the best books with high marks for originality and creativity.

When you open the pages of this book you'll find yourself in throws with the Baudelaire orphans and the rotten luck that they find themselves in. However, through the small good times they have and the bad times the siblings are always there for each other through thick and thin to defeat their evil guardian Count Olaf.

This is the first book of A Series of Unfortunate Events that opens up a mystery larger than what the orphans and even myself believed in the beginning.

This book may not appeal to all, but I believe this series to be *highly* under rated. These books are very much an easy read for children and young adults. With children it does teach new vocabulary words and "interesting" life lessons. As for adults: I found myself falling in love with the series and the orphans that I didn't want it to end.

The Trouble Begins: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-3 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window)

Average customer rating:

A Warning
great seller
The Trouble Begins, Books 1-3 by Lemony Snicket
Major let down.
The Trouble Begins

The Trouble Begins: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-3 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window)
Lemony Snicket , and Brett Helquist
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

The Situation Worsens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 4-6 (The Miserable Mill; The Austere Academy; The Ersatz Elevator)
The Dilemma Deepens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 7-9 (The Vile Village; The Hostile Hospital; The Carnivorous Carnival)
The Gloom Looms: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 10-12 (The Slippery Slope; The Grim Grotto; The Penultimate Peril)
The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4)
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

ASIN: 006029809X
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Amazon.com

Fans of Lemony Snicket and newcomers to his gleefully ghastly Series of Unfortunate Events will be elated to discover this boxed gift set of the first three books in hardcover: The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, and The Wide Window. While it's true that the events that unfold in Snicket's novels are bleak, and things never turn out as you'd hope, these delightful, funny, linguistically playful books are reminiscent of Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, and Edward Gorey. After they get their paws on this boxed set, there is no question that young readers will want to read the continuing unlucky adventures of the three Baudelaire orphans. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

The first Series of Unfortunate Events gift/box-set of this New York Times best-selling series.

The set includes The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, and The Wide Window.

Customer Reviews:

A Warning.......2007-07-26

If you are thinking of reading this review, first be forewarned that it contains very little happiness in it at all. Inside the pages of the books that this review reviews, you will find such terrible things as orphaned children, a greedy villain out to steal a fortune, an incompetent banker (the word 'incompetent' here means, 'unable to protect or even remotely assist the Baudelaire orphans in their attempts to avoid the evil Count Olaf'), a murdered relative, a harmless Incredibly Deadly Viper, the reappearance of a villain, a widowed, phobia-ridden aunt (phobia-ridden here meaning, 'an aunt too afraid to touch the doorknob, use the oven, or be near realtors'), a library devoted entirely to grammar, a house that teeters on its foundations, and leeches. Clearly, if you had any sense at all, you would not wish to read about such things.

If you do, however, chance to pick a volume up, be sure to drop it as quick as you can, kick dirt over it so no one else can find it, and run in the opposite direction. Because if you do pick it up you will find, to your horror and misery, that the tales recorded within are most definitely unsuited to such a person as you. Tales of a fortune-stealing man named Count Olaf out to get a trio of clever and incredibly unlucky children are not, I am sure, the sort of thing you would enjoy. So I recommend that you purchase another book, perhaps a volume by Lenoy M. Setnick entitled THE PONY PARTY, the first of his series called THE LUCKIEST KIDS IN THE WORLD!, which can be found by purchasing Mr. Snicket's unauthorized autobiography in hardcover and turning the dust jacket inside out.

A very good day to you.

Rating: Very Good

great seller.......2007-01-23

thank you so much

excellent quality and good condition

thanks

The Trouble Begins, Books 1-3 by Lemony Snicket.......2007-01-19

Our grandkids really enjoy Lemony Snicket. Our granddaughter doesn't read yet, but our grandson loved the books.

Major let down........2007-01-07

I bought these books (actually the first three box sets) on the recommendation of a friend. But I messed up, this was not what she said. I muddled through each of the 9 books because I will not give up and feel it would be a waste of my money to throw them away. But truly, I would have rather spent my time getting a root canal, or being anally probed by aliens. These books are horrible! He warns you, but you figure it's in jest and there will be a point, or an upside to them. There's not. The movie however, is entertaining. Go figure. Check them out from the library if you're really that curious, but don't waste your money.

The Trouble Begins.......2006-09-11

The Trouble Begins contains the first 3 books in the Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events books.

#1 - The Bad Beginning
#2 - The Reptile Room
#3 - The Wide Window

In the Series of Unfortunate Events isn't a happily ever after kind of story. There are three regular children:

Violet, who loves to invent
Klaus, who loves to read
and Sunny who loves to bite

Violet is the oldest, Claus the middle child, Sunny is the youngest.

The book "The Bad Beginning" is the basis for the first part of the movie. The story begins when the Baudelaire children are informed by Mr. Poe, a banking accountant, that their parents have just been killed by a mysterious fire, and thus begins a series of search for a suitable guardian and a safe place to live. The siblings closest member to their parents is supposedly Count Olaf, only he's not nice. He's exactly the opposite and he plans to steal the immense fortune left by the Baudelaire parents.

In The Bad Beginning, things, well, begin badly for the three Baudelaire orphans. And sadly, events only worsen in The Reptile Room. As the siblings move in with their new guardian Professor Montgomery, they find he is a reptile scientist. In a room with many different reptiles, there's a newly discovered reptile that he called a deadly, dangerous snake. But it's not really dangerous at all. Later Montes get a new assistant and it is Count Olaf in disguise. Of course something terrible happens to Uncle Morty after that and Count Olaf again tries to kidnap the children.

In the Wide Window, Mr. Poe places the children with a distant relative, Aunt Josephine. Aunt Josephiine lives in a house on the edge of a hill, a house that is very literally above Lake Lachrymose, a lake infested with Lachrymose Leeches who would eat a human if they smelled food on them.

Aunt Josephine is as eccentric as other relatives have been. She's a total grammar freak and so scared of every thing that the children have to live in a cold house and eat cold food because their aunt is afraid of accidents with fire. When Aunt Josephine meets Captain Sham who (who is Count Olaf in disguise), good fortune turns bad. Aunt Josephine dies and the apparent cause of death is jumping through the wide window in the living room, leaving the three children to Captain Sham (who is Count Olaf in disguise).

As the orphans try to figure out a way to escape from Count Olaf, they discover their aunt is still alive and in hiding. So they set out to find her and convince her to come back. This eventually leads them out onto the dreadful Lake Lachrymose where Count Olaf and the dreaded leaches catch up with them.

Though overall being sparse on detail and description, the books are fun reads.

The Bad Beginning - Book 1 of A Series of Unfortunate Events

Average customer rating:

Sick and twisted. No youth (or adult) should read it.
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Bad Beginning of an addiction!
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
4th Grade Review

The Bad Beginning - Book 1 of A Series of Unfortunate Events
Lemony Snicket
Manufacturer: Scholastic, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

The Reptile Room - Book 2 of A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2)
The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 3)
The Miserable Mill - Book 4 of A Series of Unfortunate Events
A Series of Unfortunate Events (Volume 3)

ASIN: 0439206472

Product Description

Children's story about 3 children and their misadventures.

Customer Reviews:

Sick and twisted. No youth (or adult) should read it........2007-09-28

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-06-06

Hi, if you read the review for the complete wreck with all the exclaimation points, then you know this is the first of many great books! The books are extremly addicting and after reading it for about an hour I couldn't put it down!

Believe me, it's just great! :) I'll just tell you there at the beach thier house burns down Mr. Poe takes them to Count Olaf's he is mean and dirty and after the enourmous thier parents left behind after they died in the fire. Soud's interesting, doesn't it? If you read it it will get more interesting! If you want to read more of my reviews on the books, then just look for a bunch of exclaimation points!

HAPPY READING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

The Bad Beginning of an addiction!.......2007-03-15

This is the first of many books and a lot of drama. Much of the reasoning behind the different problems and ideas is completely out there, but it is addicting nonetheless. If you start reading this book you won't be done or feel satisfied even after reading every single Lemony Snicket book in print. That can be good or bad depending on how you like things!

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-01-17

After already having seen the movie, I decided to invest in reading the books. Bk #1, THE BAD BEGINNING, only took me an hour to finish, and it was an enjoyable--if dark--read.

The Baudelaire children--Violet, Klaus, and Sunny--are left orphaned after a mysterious fire destroys their home and kills their parents. Taken into custody by Mr. Poe, the executor of their parent's estate, they learn that their parent's will states that they must be cared for by a relative. The closest relative, unbeknownest to the children, is Count Olaf, an actor and leader of a theatre troupe who lives in a dilapitated house on the other side of town.

Things, of course, only go from bad to worse after the children move into Count Olaf's home, which is strangely covered inside and out with drawings and representations of a strange-looking eye. Count Olaf even has a tattoo of the same image on his ankle. As the Count hatches a scheme to gain control of the Baudelaire fortune, which the children are not privy to until Violet comes of age, the children are alternately scared of their new "parent" and determined to find a way out of their dreadful situation.

I enjoyed this walk on the dark side, and plan on reading Book #2 in the series later today. That said, however, I think it depends on your child and his or her maturity as to whether this would be a good read for them or not. Although the reading material is suitable for around 8 years old and up, the book IS dark-natured, and might scare some children. If they've already seen the movie, they might be prepared for its darkness--if the movie depiction scared them, then hold off on the book for awhile.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

4th Grade Review.......2006-04-25

Our 4th grade class believes that Lemony Snicket's The Bad Beginning is a good book. We never wanted to stop reading, we always wanted to know what was going to happen next. The more we read the more interested we became in the story line.
As we read we could see the images described in the book in our heads, like our own little movie! One of our favorite parts about the book was that it warned us not to read the book if we wanted a happy ending. This inticed us to read even more. This suspense was kept throughout the novel.

Overall we think this book was a great challenging book for 4th graders . . . and by the way, what ever happend to Count Olaf?

The Bad Beginning: A Multi-Voice Recording (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

So Fun!
"Scream and Run Away"
Actually, a great beginning!

The Bad Beginning: A Multi-Voice Recording (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)
Lemony Snicket
Manufacturer: HarperChildrensAudio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2)
The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 3)
The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4)
The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 5)
The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6)

ASIN: 0060765798
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Book Description

Like a car alarm, bagpipe music, or a doorbell ringing in the middle of the night, hearing this all-new audio edition of The Bad Beginning will only upset you. This unique multi-voice recording brings the first book in Lemony Snicket's alarming A Series of Unfortunate Events to such terrible life that no one should really have to experience it. Unless you have an ear for such ghastly details as a tragic fire, a nefarious villain, itchy clothing, and cold porridge for breakfast, all narrated in chilly detail by the distinguished, and disturbed, Tim Curry with a team of talented readers, you would be better off listening to something else.

Featuring Tim Curry

Customer Reviews:

So Fun!.......2006-12-03

This recording is so fun! It has sound effects and different voices for each character. It makes it seem like you are watching a movie in your mind. I think kids would really enjoy this version, I sure did!

"Scream and Run Away".......2006-06-21

This is a review mainly of the unabridged recording of "The Bad Beginning" read by Tim Curry, with an interview of Lemony Snicket by Leonard C. Marcus. And the song "Scream and Run Away preformed by the Gothic Archies. This is also a review of the hardback book .

Initial listening of this book brought horror and disgust (which in this case means repugnance.) Determined to finish the story despite the author's constant warnings, I must say that I became enamored of his style.

There are several pluses to listening to the recording. The pace of the recording helps keep you going when you would have set the book aside. The absence of the books illustrations by Bret Helquist allowed you to imagine a more sinister Count Olaf and a cuter, yet with a tad of tomboy, Violet. Now the significant plus is the unmistakable voice of Tim Curry of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Oscar" (1991 as Dr. Poole) fame. His interpretation of the voices gave just as much panache to the characters as Lemony's writing.

Not in the book, but as additions to the recording are two significant items that help with the understanding of the story, where it came from and where it is going. First is an interview with the author. It covers many of the standard questions asked in an interview; the answers and the communication style is some what unique and a little over the top. Also there is a recording of a song that Mr. Snicket says is played by the Baudelaire memorial orchestra; I have since found that it was realy preformed by the Gothic Archies, written by Gay and Loud.

I do not want to give away the plot however I can tell you that at one point they are forced to eat "boiled chicken, boiled, potatoes and `blanched'- here means `boiled'- string beans"

Actually, a great beginning!.......2005-08-04

I downloaded this book from Audible. My sons and I listened to it in the car and finished the whole thing in one day. When we went on errands, they even asked if they could stay in the car and listen while I did what I had to do.

We loved it!! It was silly, educational, and entertaining all at once, with suspense thrown in. The boys' favorite character is Sunny, while I rather like Violet.

Especially engaging was the multicast recording. We have since missed this in the subsequent Lemony Snicket audiobooks.

I want to warn those who have seen the SOUE film: Expect something different in the books. The film combined three books, and not very well. The books have much more substance.

The Loathsome Library: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-6 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window; The Miserable Mill; The Austere Academy; The Ersatz Elevator)

Average customer rating:

Unfortunate & Fabulous
Can It Get Any Worse?

The Loathsome Library: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-6 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window; The Miserable Mill; The Austere Academy; The Ersatz Elevator)
Lemony Snicket
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Dilemma Deepens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 7-9 (The Vile Village; The Hostile Hospital; The Carnivorous Carnival)
The Gloom Looms: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 10-12 (The Slippery Slope; The Grim Grotto; The Penultimate Peril)
The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 13)
The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 7)
The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10)

ASIN: 006083353X
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

Readers incapable of running fast enough to escape Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events can breathe a sigh of relief now that the first six books of the series have been securely contained in a shrink-wrapped box disguised with exquisite Brett Helquist slip case art that will prevent this collection of woe from falling into the wrong hands.

Customer Reviews:

Unfortunate & Fabulous.......2007-01-09

This beginning series is great...it got me totally hooked to get the remaining books...a Harry Potteresque obession...fun reading, a great escape!

Can It Get Any Worse?.......2006-04-07

When I first started reading this series of books I was set back a little because these stories are not written in the style of typical children's books. These stories are dark, and the evil characters are truly evil. A number of reviewers have panned this series because they are dark, and because they often push the boundaries of what some of us may find acceptable for children to read. It is because of the dark imagery that I have typically recommended that age 9 be a minimum age. Some children may be unprepared for these books until later.

In the first three books in this series we learn that the three Baudelaire children, Sunny, the baby, Klaus, her brother, and Violet, a young teen, have lost their parents in a terrible fire. The children are sent to live with their evil uncle Olaf, who has ulterior motives yet to be revealed in later books. The children quickly learn how evil he is, and ultimately escape. They next go to live with their uncle Montgomery Montgomery in "The Reptile Room," only to be forced to move on again. In "The Wide Window" the children live with an aunt who is afraid of everything, only to ultimately be forced to move on again, continually chased by the evil Count Olaf in a variety of disguises.

In "The Miserable Mill" the Baudelaire orphans have moved to another relative, this one the owner of the Lucky Smells Lumbermill in the rundown town of Paltryville. The children toil in the lumber mill from the time they arrive in Paltryville. Soon they have splinters and are tired and hungry, because they get nothing for breakfast, almost nothing for lunch, and casserole for dinner. There are multiple labor and child abuse laws violated in this book, but perhaps it might make some readers more appreciative of what they have.

As has happened in the previous three books, the children are able, principally through their own efforts, to overcome the bad guys. Once again the children are on their way to another home.

Of the four books thus far, this one was my least favorite. The style of the books is such that bad things happen to these children on a regular basis, but in this book it seems as though bad things are happening to nearly everyone. This book is very depressing. I was also a bit annoyed with the extremes that the author went to in his exaggerations.

The fifth book in the saga implements several changes, all for the better. We are at Prufrock Academy, a boarding school, instead of with a relative. Secondly, the Baudelaires acquire two friends at this new school. There are additional positives. They actually get to eat, they get to study, and they get to read. For a moment you might actually think that things are looking up for the Baudelaires. Ah, but for those familiar with the series, you know that can't be true.

If the Baudelaires violate any of a series of bizarre rules they must endure a series of equally bizarre punishments relating to their meals. Included in this list of punishments is loss of silverware, loss of a cup, though you still get your drink, it's just in a puddle on your tray, and even having your hands tied behind your back at mealtime.

As you have probably also guessed, Count Olaf does eventually show up, but does not immediately try to kidnap the children. The children try to figure out his scheme all the way up to the point where he does execute his scheme, and I can say no more or you will miss all the fun.

In "The Ersatz Elevator" the Baudelaire orphans move in with a non-relative in a penthouse apartment. While you might think that a penthouse apartment (which has something like 71 bedrooms) and kitchens, and sitting rooms, and on and on, would be a lovely place to live, you would be thinking wrong.

This time the problem is that Esme Squalor (the sixth most important financial advisor in the city) and her husband Jerome must have everything "in". Esme must go to only the "in" restaurants; she must wear only "in" clothes, which includes the children, and on and on. Unfortunately, being "in" also means multiple compromises in terms of comfort. For example, the penthouse is on the top of a building with 66 stories, and elevators are "out". So the Squalors and the Baudelaires must walk up and down the 66 stories each time the go in to and out from the building. They certainly received sufficient exercise. Before I forget, orphans are also "in".

Of course, we know that Count Olaf must eventually show up, and he does. However, there is a mystery. We find that Count Olaf went up to the apartment and did not later leave the building. Therein lays the crux of the mystery for this story.

This box set is a great way to collect this series if you have found that you like the unconventional way the Lemony Snicket has written these books. I recommend them cautiously, and principally for children 8 or 9 or above.

The Trouble Begins, Movie Tie-in Edition: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-3 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window)

Average customer rating:

They say that unfortunate events happen in threes
From Bad to Worse: The Story of the Baudelaire Orphans

The Trouble Begins, Movie Tie-in Edition: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-3 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window)
Lemony Snicket
Manufacturer: HarperKidsEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Popular Culture | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

The Situation Worsens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 4-6 (The Miserable Mill; The Austere Academy; The Ersatz Elevator)
The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 13)
The Dilemma Deepens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 7-9 (The Vile Village; The Hostile Hospital; The Carnivorous Carnival)

ASIN: 0060757736
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Customer Reviews:

They say that unfortunate events happen in threes .......2007-10-20

Looks as if they are correct. This is a great three-book starter set for the series. Lemony Snicket has made a great series of books for those people that can't stand everything being sweetness and light. In the process we learn many lessons in life from grammar to etiquette. Similar to Rocky and Bullwinkle there is something for everyone at any age.

It would be wise to buy this three book set as you will be hooked on the story from the beginning and have all three books finished before you have a chance to buy the forth.
Coming in a case allows you to set the books up on the shelf without needing any supporting books or book ends.

I will not go through the contents of the books, as you will get a better idea of what you are purchasing from the individual reviews. However the books included in this set are "The Bad Beginning," "The Reptile Room," and "The Wide Window." Be sure to look for my individual reviews of each book. In each you will se the pattern that makes this series popular and maybe learn a little something on the side.

From Bad to Worse: The Story of the Baudelaire Orphans.......2006-04-07

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From Bad Beginnings to Happy Endings
Ed Young
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0785279520

Book Description

Addressing issues such as divorce, change, discipline and sexual temptation, pastor Ed Young draws on Joseph's life to encourage you to confront your own difficulties with confidence.

A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning: Or, Orphans! (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

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The Bad Beginning
Sick & twisted. No youth (or adault) should read it.

A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning: Or, Orphans! (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
Lemony Snicket
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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A Series of Unfortunate Events #2: The Reptile Room: Or, Murder! (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
A Series of Unfortunate Events #3: The Wide Window: Or, Disappearance! (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
Lady Lollipop
Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid
The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 3)

ASIN: 0061146307
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Book Description

Imagine tales so terrible that as many as fifty million innocents have been ruined by them – tales so indelibly horrid that the New York Times bestseller list has been unable to rid itself of them for seven years. Now imagine if this scourge suddenly became available in a shameful new edition so sensational, so irresistible, so riddled with lurid new pictures that even a common urchin would wish for it. Who among us would be safe?

Begin at the beginning – evenif it is a bad one – with the first in A Series of Unfortunate Events, now even more disposable in paperback!

Customer Reviews:

The Bad Beginning.......2007-10-16

This series is more a triumph of marketing and presentation than an actual literary achievement. From Lemony Snicket's dire warnings on the back cover to the stylized illustrations and old fashioned fonts, the idea is to present a work of Gothic children's fiction that falls somewhere between Roald Dahl and Edgar Allen Poe.

The actual story is a little less satisfying, often because it isn't really as dark and twisted and it suggests itself to be. True, the three children are orphaned in the first chapter, and yes, their third cousin the evil Count Olaf hatches various evil schemes to steal their fortune and probably kill them, but it's all a little watered-down. I'm a little too old for the books anyway, but I can remember the kind of stories I enjoyed when I was a kid. Maybe some children genuinely enjoy stories where everything works out in the end and all the characters are nice and happy and love each other, but good stories, whether they're for kids or grown-ups, always have conflict, and the best adventures always place their heroes in serious jeopardy. Even fairy tales.

I actually prefer reading about A Series of Unfortunate Events over reading the actual books. Even so, they are funny, frequently inventive, and just a little bit dark and morbid, which is enjoyable. It's also nice to see a modern children's series that doesn't try to be the next Harry Potter -- meaning a story with many characters and details and lengthy volumes and an epic scope. These novels are short, easily read, and don't try too hard, which is sometimes exactly the way a novel should be.

The paperback editions add even more to the "presentation": an old-fashioned black and white comic about a pair of child detectives, a collection of vintage advertisements, an advice column penned by Mr. Snicket, and a hilarious serialized "nonsense novel" written circa 1910.

Sick & twisted. No youth (or adault) should read it........2007-09-28

Series of Unfortunate Events Set #1-#4: Bad Beginning; Reptile Room; Wide Window; Miserable Mill (No Box)

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Series of Unfortunate Events

Series of Unfortunate Events Set #1-#4: Bad Beginning; Reptile Room; Wide Window; Miserable Mill (No Box)
Lemony Snicket , and Daniel Handler
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews:

Series of Unfortunate Events.......2005-01-27

These books are absolutely wonderful for children that don't really care to read AND for children who do enjoy reading! They help children expand their vocabularies and give grammar lessons - all under the guise of a great adventure tale!

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"Scream and Run Away."

The Bad Beginning
Lemony Snicket
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews:

"Scream and Run Away.".......2006-09-18

This is a review mainly of the unabridged recording of "The Bad Beginning" ISBN 0-8072-6178-5 read by Tim Curry, with an interview of Lemony Snicket by Leonard C. Marcus. And the song "Scream and Run Away preformed by the Gothic Archies. This is also a review of the hardback book ISBN 0-06-440766-7.

Initial listening of this book brought horror and disgust (which in this case means repugnance.) Determined to finish the story despite the author's constant warnings, I must say that I became enamored of his style.

There are several pluses to listening to the recording. The pace of the recording helps keep you going when you would have set the book aside. The absence of the book's illustrations by Bret Helquist allowed you to imagine a more sinister Count Olaf and a cuter, yet with a tad of tomboy, Violet. Now the significant plus is the unmistakable voice of Tim Curry of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Oscar" (1991 as Dr. Poole) fame. His interpretation of the voices gave just as much panache to the characters as Lemony's writing.

Not in the book, but as additions to the recording are two significant items that help with the understanding of the story, where it came from, and where it is going. First is an interview with the author. It covers many of the standard questions asked in an interview; the answers and the communication style is somewhat unique and a little over the top. Also there is a recording of a song that Mr. Snicket says is played by the Baudelaire memorial orchestra; I have since found that it was really preformed by the Gothic Archies, written by Gay and Loud.

I do not want to give away the plot however I can tell you that at one point they are forced to eat "boiled chicken, boiled, potatoes and 'blanched'- here means 'boiled'- string beans"

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